Flat tyres on Rail Trail

By Jonathon Howard

MEMBERS OF Trains On Our Tracks (TOOT) have flat out denied their members are responsible for any tacks, nails, screws or other debris that have been found on the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.

The group’s comments come after an estimated 15 riders experienced punctures to their tyres on the Rail Trail near Stokers Siding over the weekend of February 25 to 26 — prior to the trail’s official opening this week.

It was suggested by more than one person via social media that TOOT members could be responsible.

TOOT coordinator and passionate rail and trail advocate Marie Luxford said she “honestly would not know anyone within the TOOT group who would do something like this.”

“We were not against the Rail Trail, we wanted to share the corridor with cyclists and keep the tracks to allow trains for future generations,” she said.

Ms Luxford said TOOT and other prorail groups were being wrongfully tar- nished as the perpetrators.

“Instead, we wanted to share the corridor with the trail and tracks to provide tracks for future generations, as the smallest parts of the corridor was 34 metres, with the trail only 2.5 metres wide,” she said.

“So, there was plenty of room to build the bike path and keep the tracks to supply trains for future generations.”

A Tweed Shire Council spokesperson said while the vast majority of residents are eagerly anticipating the opening of the Rail Trail as an incredible new asset for the Tweed, it is disappointing to learn incidents of sabotage may be taking place along the track.

“Just as occurs with any such incidents on our roads, we urge anyone who witnesses or experiences a safety concern to photograph the evidence and report it to Council via our Report a Problem service, or to the police.

Council said rangers will be working closely with the local Tweed-Byron Police District to monitor the Rail Trail, while Rail Trail operators, volunteers and the